In ancient Greece, it was felt that regimes swung from bad to good to bad again, as a bad regime was prone to be overthrown, but a good regime was prone to be corrupted from within by factionalism.

In the Maghreb, Ibn Khaldun described an alteration of rustic warrior rulers, with the strong kin cooperation of a tribe, who become effete urban rulers, then overthrown by a new set of rustic warriors.

In China, there was a cycle of periodic dissolution and then restoration of imperial unity.

In many places we saw fluctuations in the fortunes of empires as expansion and conquest eventually peak and give way to retreat or defeat.

Likewise, from time to time a charismatic leader comes along, gathers a following, and creates a new movement, but eventually that wave of charisma subsides.

The odd thing is that fluctuations bring change, but it is only temporary. Eventually the change dissolves.